See the Spot: Gatorade, Usain Bolt Highlight 'Real' Olympic Presence

Non-Sponsors Now Free to Begin Promotions

Gatorade might not have been an official sponsor of the London Olympic Games, but its reminding consumers it was still very much a part of the event with a pointed spot airing tonight.

Non-sponsors are heavily restricted from having any sort of presence or affiliation with the Olympic Games. And in order to protect sponsorship dollars, the IOC limits athletes competing in the Olympic Games from appearing in advertising during, as well as shortly before and after, the games. Olympic athletes have spoken out against such rules, claiming that restrictions on advertising are ultimately affecting their performance by obstructing sponsor relationships.

Those restrictions expired August 15, and Gatorade isn't wasting any time reminding consumers how important it is to world-class athletes. The spot, which never explicitly mentions the Olympics, shows a figure, obscured by a hood and clad head to toe in black, walking through the streets of London.

A voiceover says: "We weren't there on stadium billboards. We weren't there on double-decker buses. We weren't on buttons, souvenirs or commemorative snow globes. We weren't there officially sponsoring anything. We were there for real -- inside the bodies of some of the greatest athletes on earth."

The figure is revealed to be Usain Bolt. He eats a Gatorade Chew before the screen flashes to him in a packed stadium preparing to race. The spot closes with the Gatorade logo and the hashtag #WinFromWithin. TBWA/Chiat/Day is Gatorade's agency.

Separately, it was announced today that Sarah Robb O'Hagan, president-Gatorade and president-Global Sports Nutrition Group, will be leaving PepsiCo to join Equinox as its first president. In that role, Ms. Robb O'Hagan, named to Ad Age 's Women to Watch in 2010, will be charged with leading an aggressive domestic and international expansion.

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Natalie Zmuda

Natalie Zmuda oversees the CMO Strategy section and is responsible for identifying and analyzing the latest trends impacting chief marketers. Natalie also covers the retail and non-alcoholic beverage categories. She joined Advertising Age in 2008, following five years covering the retail and fashion industries for Conde Nast Publications.